


Brave New World

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-02
Updated: 2006-04-02
Packaged: 2018-08-15 16:05:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8062924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: Captain Archer sends an away team down to a planet in answer to a distress beacon. No one is quite prepared for what they find.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

Shuttlepod One shuddered as it descended through more turbulent atmosphere. The planet below hidden from them by clouds of moist vapour that reminded him so much of Earth he wanted to pinch himself. He angled his head to look across to where Lt Malcolm Reed was checking their instrument readings. He rubbed his hands briskly up and down his arms. It sure was getting cold. "Remind me again why we're doin' this?"

T'Pol and Dr Phlox seemed to be impervious to the dropping temperature. Even Reed was handling it better than he was. Jesus it was damn cold.

"We received a distress signal and, with this being a Minshara class planet and the Captain wanting to have as many favourable alien encounters as possible it seemed a good opportunity to offer aid and assistance."

Commander Tucker blew on his hands and frowned at him. "Yeah, only they never replied to our hails and there has been no repeat of the call in the last four hours. Ask me they're probably already popsickles."

Sub-Commander T'Pol raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him.

"Popsickle. Frozen." He elaborated trying hard not to shiver too much.

She lowered her eyebrow slightly. Dr Phlox could not hide a look of amusement but said nothing. He enjoyed watching the way the crew interacted. "You are cold." T'Pol stated flatly.

He gave her a sarcastic look though his voice was mild, his tone honeyed. "You pick up that? What gave me away?"

"You are shivering almost constantly, your face has lost colour, your lips are beginning to turn blue..."

Dr Phlox stifled a laugh at the look on the Commander's face and interrupted, his eyes twinkling with merriment. "Perhaps now would be a good time to put on our protective clothing, Commander?"

He nodded. "That's the best idea I've heard all mornin'."

* * *

Back on board the Enterprise Captain Archer was looking at Hoshi expectantly. She shook her head. "I am getting no response, Captain."

"And the distress beacon?"

She shook her head. He expelled a frustrated sigh.

"How about pinpointing the earlier distress calls?"

"We can only estimate the region. For more accuracy we need another signal."

He thought about that. Knew the conditions down on the planet would be less than hospital. Right now Siberia was probably warmer. "You think it was a mistake to send a team down?"

She shook her head firmly. "No, sir. Whoever sent that message was in trouble. We may be their only hope of survival."

"Unless they're already dead."

The crew exchanged solemn looks. Captain Archer wanted to kick himself for expressing that thought out loud. He tried to inject brightness into his tone and be more positive. After all, it was up to him to set an example. "I think it's more likely that this worsening weather is affecting their beacon just as it's making it more difficult for us to keep track of the shuttlepod on our sensors."

Travis Mayweather was looking thoughtful. "Captain? What sort of people live down there?"

The Captain smiled and spread his arms wide. "I have absolutely no idea and that's what thrills me Travis. It's part of the reason why I'm in space in the first place."

There were smiles all round now. They knew and shared that feeling. Every one of them.

* * *

The landing was a little bumpy but at least they were upright and on solid ground. Commander Tucker felt a lot happier now he was wrapped up but knew that feeling would evaporate the moment they stepped out of the shuttlepod. He cast a last look around before following the others out into the bitter sweeping winds. The surface outside was rocky and partly snow covered though the snow was not deep. It was the cold wind he hated most, adding a chill factor to this ice cube that had him dreaming of Hawaii and tropical waters the moment he saw it. Whose idea was this anyway? Oh yeah, the Captain's. He would have to find a suitable way in which to thank him when they got back. No good deed should go unpunished and that applied in triplicate to bad ones.

He lengthened his stride to catch up with T'Pol. She was looking at her sensor padd. "What'cha got, T'Pol?"

"The signal has not repeated, Commander."

"So which way?"

She turned and pointed. "The last signal came from that direction, Commander."

"Okay, let's do it. The sooner we find 'em the sooner we can get off this ice cube."

He noticed that Lt Reed was shivering now as well. Even T'Pol was beginning to look cold. The doctor was the only one who was not reacting to the weather. Commander Tucker dropped back a pace to speak to him. "I notice you seem unaffected by the temperature, doc. Is your homeworld a cold one?"

He smiled and shook his head. "No, Commander. By your standards it is a warm planet, very pleasant. We do not have inclement weather of this nature."

"Hmm, that so? Then how come you're not shivering your ass off like the rest of us?"

He laughed lightly. "Denobulans have self-regalatory systems, Commander. We can lower or raise our body temperature at will. It is how we acclimatise to hibernation."

"Hot damn, that's one neat evolutionary trick."

"It's not a trick Commander, it's survival."

"Yeah, survival." He paused. "So your home planet doesn't get cold, huh?"

"I did not say that. It does get cold, very cold, but not in this extreme. It also has equators much like your Earth except the temperature variances are higher."

"How high?"

"At its' highest it is hot enough to melt rock."

The Commander's face took on an awed expression. "That's hot!"

Dr Phlox smiled genially at him. "Which is why we do not live along the equatorial line, Commander."

They fell into a companionable silence snaking along the track behind T'Pol and trying not to talk more than was absolutely necessary. Lt Reed cautiously bringing up the rear. It was daylight but a perpetual gloom seemed to pervade the place, everything bathed in a half-light that was neither day nor night. Lt Reed did not like it. The Commander could hear him muttering under his breath behind him. "What's that Malcolm?"

"N...nothing, just cold."

"You, me and ma weddin' tackle."

They lapsed back into silence and trudged on for a couple of hours before being brought to a halt by T'Pol. If the Commander did not know better he would have said she looked worried. "What's up Sub-Commander?"

"We should be close to the signal but I am picking nothing up on the sensor."

"Maybe we should look around for anything that might be a beacon?"

The Vulcan hesitated. "By my calculations Commander, it will soon be dark. I suggest we find somewhere to rest for the night. A shelter of some kind."

"I'm sorry I didn't pack a tent." Said Lt Reed sarcastically.

T'Pol raised an eyebrow. "There is no need. My instruments show there are caves up ahead."

"Yeah," Said Commander Tucker half under his breath. "Let's just hope there's nothin' already in 'em."

The Vulcan heard him. "There are no life signs registering, Commander."

He nodded his thanks and fell silent again. T'Pol proved as good as her word. Admittedly some of the caves were little more than alcoves in the rock but they found one that was much larger and went inside. The moment they entered the mouth of the cave the biting wind was cut off from them and they instantly felt warmer. A smile graced Commander Tucker's lips and he felt his spirits lift. "Now all we need is a nice fire and somethin' to eat and it'll be real homely."

"I always suspected you had crawled out of some cave, Commander." Quipped Lt Reed.

Commander Tucker grinned at him. "Don't be so superior, Malcolm. So did you."

"Touche. Before we get too comfortable we should check it out first."

Commander Tucker nodded. "Good idea, let's do that."

Dr Phlox set down his medical kit and straightened. "I will light a fire."

"And I," Said T'Pol. "Will see if I can contact the Captain to apprise him of our situation."

"Good luck," Responded Trip. "Somethin' tells me we might have trouble with communications while this weather lasts."

The cave opened out into a large oval cavern then tapered off into a little more than a tunnel. Carefully he and Lt Reed unpacked their torches and proceded down the dark corridor. Lt Reed shuddered involuntarily. "Whose stupid idea was this?"

"Yours."

"Thanks, Commander Tucker. You are such a comfort."

Behind him, Trip grinned. "Glad to be appreciated." He drawled.

They quipped and bantered for several hundred yards before coming to another cavern, much smaller than the one they had left behind them but still eight or nine feet across. Commander Tucker thought he heard something and turned slowly, his light illuminating patches of darkness and making the other shadows seem even deeper. He could hear Lt Reed breathing heavily a couple of steps behind him. There. What was that? He swung his torch back the other way and was startled when the light reflected off something. He heard Lt Reed swear under his breath but did not respond. His attention on the creature trapped in his torch light. He could hear his friend shifting behind him and held one arm out to caution him to stay where he was. "Don't move." He whispered softly.

"What the hell _is_ it?"

Commander Tucker was wondering the same thing. He crouched down slowly and looked into the creature's eyes. It was about the size and colouring of a chipmunk but the tail was much bushier and more tightly curled up its' back like a squirrel's. He began to talk quietly to it, not wanting to frighten it away. "Hey, what are you doin' here little fella? This your place? C'mon, no need to be afraid. Nobody's gonna hurt ya."

Lt Reed hissed a foot from his shoulder. "What the hell are you doing? It's a bloody rodent."

The creature immediately hurried away. Gone in a second. Commander Tucker was annoyed and had trouble biting back his irritation as he stood up and turned to his friend. "Why d'ya have'ta go and scare it away?"

"It's probably desease ridden and just waiting for a chance to bite you."

"You're paranoid."

"And you take unnecessary risks."

"It wasn't gonna hurt us, Malcolm."

"So _you_ say."

He looked at Lt Reed for a moment in silence. "Did anyone ever tell ya you're about as much fun as a heart attack?"

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Commander."

Trip chuckled, his natural good humour reasserting itself. He still wished he had got a closer look at the creature though. Maybe they would find another one? But though he kept his eyes peeled as they finished their recce he saw nothing else. Lt Reed was inordinately happy about that.

* * *

Captain Archer was beginning to get worried. The away team had been gone eight hours and there was still no contact from Sub-Commander T'Pol. Were they alright? Had they landed in one piece? Did they need help? Then the blanket of thick cloud thinned and a broken signal made it through. Relief almost overwhelmed him. "What happened, Sub-Commander?"

"The weather is inhospital, Captain, and this affected our communications. Unfortunately it is also affecting our ability to trace the distress beacon."

"Do what you can, Sub-Commander."

"Cap'n?"

He smiled as his Chief Engineer's voice sailed over the com. "What is it, Commander?"

"It's night on this ice cube. The Sub-Commander's found us a cave to shelter in so we're gonna sit tight and try again in the mornin'."

"Good idea. If you can't locate the beacon or the people who sent the distress signal by the end of tomorrow I want you to return to Enterprise. I need hardly remind you not to take any unnecessary risks, is that understood?"

"Yes, Captain." Replied the Vulcan.

"Ya got it, Cap'n." Said Trip.

Captain Archer leaned back in his chair and smiled. His people were alright. Now all they had to do was find whoever sent that message.

* * *

Commander Trip Tucker was dreaming. He had to be. He felt warm, calm, loved even. A sense of well being coursed through his body carrying his weariness with it and bathing him in warmth. A tiny happy sigh passed his lips and something warm wrapped gently around his neck. His body temperature increased a little more until it reached optimum. His lips curved in a happy smile. Sun soaked beaches teased his mind, warm waters pulsing up golden sands. Lt Reed sneezed in his sleep and woke up. Noticed everyone else was still asleep and rolled on to his side to fall back to sleep but it would not come. He was awake now. Irritated he sat up and rubbed his eyes then realised he was the only one awake. Good thing too otherwise who knew what might happen? This was still an alien planet whatever Commander Tucker might have him think to the contrary.

Perhaps it was just him imagination but it seemed a little warmer this morning. It still felt very early so he made no move to wake the others. Better to get a fire started and make a hot drink. As he got up he looked across at his companions and friends, just needing to reassure himself that everything was alright. Commander T'Pol slept as if she was laid out in a coffin. Her petite form laid neatly in her sleeping bag, a heat retaining blanket over the top. Dr Phlox was snoring very softly, a look of tranquility and joy on his face. Then he looked at Commander Tucker and shook his head in amusement. Now why didn't he think to bring a scarf with him. He turned to start work on the fire and froze. Scarf? Trip had not bought a scarf with him. He turned slowly and stared at his sleeping friend. Ignored the half smile on Trip's lips and stared at the scarf. The pattern nudged a memory in the back of his mind. The scarf slowly unwound a little, one end flicking up and looking straight at him. The bright beady eyes seeming to read his very thoughts. Lt Reed dropped the sticks he had gathered to start a fire and yelled. The creature buried itself inside the top of the Commander's sleeping bag and quickly disappeared.

Sub-Commander T'Pol woke instantly and sat up. What she saw made her question whether or not she was dreaming. Lt Reed was standing with a weapon in his hand, the barrel pointed at Commander Tucker who seemed blissfully unaware that any drama was unfolding while he slept. Why was the Tactical Armoury Officer pointing a weapon at the Chief Engineer? She heard Dr Phlox begin to stir next to her. "Lt Reed, what is going on and why are you pointing a weapon at Commander Tucker?"

Lt Reed did not lower his weapon. She could see now that his hands were shaking. "I'm sorry, Sub-Commander but there is an alien present."

Immediately she drew her own weapon and glanced around. She could see nothing. She looked at Lt Reed. "Where?"

He pointed at the sleeping Commander. T'Pol frowned. "Are you suggesting the Commander is an alien?"

"No, of course not."

Commander Tucker was beginning to stir. They looked at him but instead of opening his eyes he rolled on to his right side and continued to sleep soundly. Lt Reed gave her a helpless look.

"It's a creature."

The doctor was wide awake now and padded over to Lt Reed quietly, not wanting to wake the Commander or scare the creature away. Though he looked carefully he could not see anything. He gave the lieutenant a quizzical look. "What sort of creature?"

"Um, it looks a bit like a squirrel but with markings on its' fur like a chipmunk."

"Ah, you mean it is striped?"

He nodded. "Yes."

The doctor hid his amusement. "And how big is this _alien_ creature?"

Lt Reed shot him a suspicious look but there was no sign that he was being mocked. "It's about the same size as a chipmunk."

"Or a rat?"

A quick look this time. "You don't believe me?"

Dr Phlox made a non-commital expression, his eyes bright with interest and humour. "I did not say that but from your description it sounds like some kind of rodent."

"Ah, that's what I told Trip it was." He said smugly.

Dr Phlox and T'Pol exchanged a look. The Sub-Commander lowered her weapon. "You've seen this creature before?"

"Yes, when we explored the cave to see if it was safe."

"Yet you chose not to disclose this information?"

Lt Reed swallowed slowly. Suddenly nervous. "The Commander said it wasn't dangerous."

The eyebrow rose. "And how many times has the Commander been to this planet, lieutenant?"

"Um, this is the first time. For both of us."

Just then Commander Tucker rolled onto his back and woke up, the smile freezing on his face when he saw the gun pointed at him. He scowled and did not move. "What the hell are you doin', Malcolm?"

"It's back."

"What's back?"

"The thing, the creature, it was sleeping with you."

Commander Tucker sighed heavily then half sat up leaning back on his elbows, surprise and humour vying with his sluggish brain to take in what he was saying. "Lt Reed I can assure you that..." He broke off, feeling something move under the sleeping bag and lay across his chest. T'Pol frowned at his expression.

"Commander? Are you alright?"

He took a slow breath. "Uh yeah, I think so."

Still holding his gun on him, Lt Reed nodded at the Commander. "You can feel it, can't you?"

"Feel what?"

"That thing, that creature, inside your sleeping bag."

"Malcolm, do me a favour?"

"What?"

"Put your gun away."

Lt Reed shook his head. "Not until that creature has been killed or captured."

Trip looked at T'Pol. "Sub-Commander would you please ask Lt Reed to put his gun away? If you want to keep yours that'll be okay but I don't want anybody gettin' trigger happy."

She nodded and Commander Tucker breathed a sigh of relief when Lt Reed reluctantly put his gun away. He sat up carefully and pulled out the top of his sleeping bag and peered down. "It's okay," He whispered gently. "Nobody's gonna hurt you. Ya can come out now but make it real slow. Some people are gettin' mighty jumpy out here."

Although he could not see the creature he could feel it padding gently up his chest. He slowly opened his sleeping bag wider and waited, all the while talking so softly that only T'Pol could hear his words clearly. A furry snout peeked out the top of Trip's sleeping bag and first looked at him then took a cautious look at his companions. Dr Phlox was delighted. A Sanacrid. They were not only rare but highly prized. He watched fascinated while the creature darted to Trip's shoulder and wrapped its soft bushy tail round his neck as if staking his claim on the human. Trip chuckled softly and smiled at them, his eyes finally resting on Lt Reed. "I told ya it wasn't gonna hurt us, Malcolm."

"I say we should shoot it to be on the safe side."

The humour fled from the Commander's face. "Is that just you or ya ignorance talkin', Malcolm, 'cause it sure don't sound like StarFleet ta me."

Dr Phlox interjected quickly not wanting the two men to end up in a shouting match. Not over something as wondrous as this. "I think I can help."

Everyone stopped talking to look at him. Dr Phlox was looking at the creature, a look of subdued awe on his face. "You have accomplished a very rare thing Commander."

Trip looked puzzled. "I have?"

"Yes. The creature you seem to have befriended is called a Sanacrid. They are very rare."

"Are they poisonous?" Asked the lieutenant.

The doctor chose not to answer that question at that particular moment. He was more interested in how the Commander had managed to gain the notoriously shy creature's confidence. "It likes you, Commander. I am curious, how did you tame it?"

"Tame it? I didn't tame it, doc."

"Did you touch it, handle it in any way?"

He resisted the urge to shake his head, not wishing to jostle his new friend. "Nah. We saw him in the other cavern and I tried talkin' to him but Malcolm kept yelling and gettin' all twisted outta shape. Scared him off." He broke eye contact with Phlox to glare briefly at Malcolm but there was no anger behind it. Dr Phlox considered what he had said.

"Hmm, that's very interesting and highly unsual."

The Sub-Commander frowned slightly. "Why is it unusual?"

"Sanacrid are telepathic. It is very rare for them to initiate contact with a non-indiginous species. In fact, I have never heard of it happening before. You should feel very honoured, Commander."

Trip smiled. Enormously pleased that the Sanacrid was so highly thought of by the doctor. He was not quite sure why just that he felt very protective towards him. Perhaps it was all those cartoons he had watched as a kid. Chipmunks were always portrayed as friendly little fellas.

Sub-Commander T'Pol watched the Commander closely. "We cannot take this creature back to the Enterprise, Commander."

"I never suggested we should, T'Pol. Besides. Wouldn't be my decision."

Her eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"This little critter's gotta mind of its' own. If he wants to come visit it's up to him."

"Him?"

"Yeah. As in _male of the species_."

"How do you know that the creature is male?" She asked curiously.

His smile became a grin. "Some things ya just know, Sub-Commander. Trust me."

* * *

It was odd. Sub-Commander T'Pol could not take her eyes off the Commander, surreptitiously watching him share his breakfast with the creature. He seemed relaxed and perfectly content. The Sanacrid sat on his right shoulder, his beautiful tail plume curled gently around Trip's neck. Small petite front paws ending in delicate little claws that it moved with deft precision to accept and handle the food offered to it. Though his claws were as sharp as razors the creature never knicked the human once. She watched fascinated. Trip seemed to have accepted the presence of the creature with a minimum of fuss and no surprise at all. As if it was the most natural thing to do. He spoke quietly and gently to it and it seemed to respond to the sound and cadence of his voice. Curious. She looked at Dr Phlox who was staring in rapt delight at the small creature.

"What did you say the creature was called, doctor?"

"A Sanacrid."

"You said that they were very rare. How rare?"

He glanced at her. "They exist on a number of planets, Sub-Commander, but their numbers have always been small. It is how they avoid detection from less passive lifeforms. They are discrete gentle creatures unless roused."

Her eyebrow rose. "Roused?"

"Roused, threatened, injured. Even the most placid of species will defend itself and its' young."

She nodded and went back to watching the creature delicately accept food from Trip's hand as he ate. He seemed not to notice her attention or the little creature sitting on his shoulder. He was talking to Lt Reed, trying to calm the Englishman down.

"You should let it go, Trip. It's a wild animal and it belongs in the wild."

"Ya miss the point, Malcolm. He's just visiting. Not doin' no harm and he's better company than some I could mention."

Lt Reed flushed, whether in anger or embarrassment it was hard to tell. "What are you saying?"

"Not sayin' nothin' Malcolm, ya just gotta learn to relax and calm down. When he's ready to go he'll go."

Commander Tucker absent mindedly picked up a foil food pack. As he chatted to Lt Reed the topic moved on to how they were going to find whoever had sent the distress call. On safer ground, all contention between them disappeared and they were quickly reviewing the available options. Trip had difficulty tearing the pack open so brought the pack up to his mouth and ripped the top off with his teeth. The Sanacrid began to chitter anxiously, its' head dipping up and down in distress. They stopped talking. Trip stared at the creature and glanced at the pack in his hand. Dr Phlox moved closer, fascinated. Trip turned the pack and looked at it more closely. It was passed the optimal date for ingestion. Warnings on the pack stating it would be unsafe to eat. The contents no longer stable. His mouth dropped open in shock and he stared at the Sanacrid. "Well, wha'd'ya know?" He said softly, eyes shining with stunned gratitude. "Ya saved my life."

"I wouldn't go that far, Trip." Said Lt Reed in a slightly grouchy voice.

Dr Phlox reached out a hand for the food pack. "May I?"

"Sure doc, knock ya'self out."

"It's probably just a coincidence," Mumbled Lt Reed slightly miffed at all the fuss.

Trip was not listening. He was staring at the Sanacrid. The Sanacrid chittered quietly to him and he looked passed the little creature to find T'Pol looking at him. It was weird but at that moment it was as if he could hear every thought in her head. Feel her mood, her reservations, her hopes, her wishes. The empty gulf that had been life for her until she had joined Enterprise. Wow. How the hell had he known that? She did not look away but raised a single stiff eyebrow. He felt a wash of sadness for her. To have lived such a hard, cold life. A life without love or affection. Without laughter. For T'Pol there had only been duty. And a pretty dry and dusty one at that. Then she was looking away from him. He swallowed and looked at the Sanacrid. The two sharing a moment of absolute clarity and understanding.

* * *

It was perhaps a mile and a half to the crash site. The mangled wreckage would never fly again. The structure ripped open as if someone had attacked it with a huge tin opener. Most of the crew were dead. The three that remained were impatient but determined not to let their guard down for a minute while they awaited a mothership to arrive for their extraction. They were in enemy territory and the sudden loss of control of their spy craft would have to be paid for with the humiliation of extraction. Krentar hung his head in shame. As the most senior surviving officer he held the blame for the failure of their mission. Corat and Shanar would not make eye contact with him. It was forbidden for a lower rank to look a higher rank in the eye. A sign of beligerance and a challenge to his authority. Even injured they still had their pride and on that their whole society based its' structure and value. Krentar tended his wounds in silence. They were minor, not enough to prevent the hunt but anything that detracted from optimum efficiency was a bad thing. He looked at the other two and made the painful decision. The loss of their craft had ended their sport.

Heads dipped in acquiessence then the men got up and began the painful task of leaking out the fuel cells so that they could detonate their craft. What they could not take with them they would leave behind. At least the bright plume of their vessel blowing up would be a welcome aid to the mothership for their retrieval.

* * *

They packed up quickly and Lt Reed was pleasantly surprised to see that the snow had gone and they were looking at a much milder day. No bitter wind to steal their body warmth. No ice underfoot to make the rocks perilous to walk. It was not exactly warm but at least it was bright and just a little cool. Like an early Autumnal day back on Earth. Commander Tucker grinned as he stepped outside to join him, the doctor and Sub-Commander T'Pol following him out. For a moment they all paused to look around them. The planet looking entirely different in a more benign light. Lt Reed summed it up best.

"You'd hardly think it was the same planet."

Commander Tucker looked at T'Pol, the Sanacrid sitting on his shoulder with his tail curled around the human's neck. His little body flattened on Trip's shoulder like an epaulette. It was odd how quickly she had got used to the sight. Trip was looking at her now, his eyes calm and gentle. For some reason it gave her soul ease. She was glad the Commander was with them. "Which way, T'Pol?"

She pointed and led the way. She had the strangest feeling that if she asked him to, the Commander would follow her anywhere. She gave her head a little shake and dismissed the foolish notion. She had obviously been around humans for too long. Yet somehow that thought did not disturb her as much as it would once have done. They had not gone more than five hundred yards when an explosion rocked the ground beneath their feet. A bright concatanation of smaller explosions compouded on each other in such quick succession it was like a huge single fireball frying the cool air and lighting up the sky for miles and miles. Lt Reed looked infinitely sad. "Oh God, we're too late."

"Ya don't know that, Malcolm. But at least we know we're goin' the right way." Said the Commander.

Lt Reed nodded at his friend but nothing he could think, do or say would lift the weight of sadness bearing down on him. He moved like a man searching for bodies. Trip had no words to suggest otherwise. In silence they hurried, the fireball drawing them on. Hearts aching at the thought that they had come all this way for nothing. As they drew near to the site the Sanacrid began to become oddly tense. Trip felt a trickle of apprehension almost like a warning. His head came up and he spun round. Too late. The crossfire caught him before he could find cover. Vaguely aware that his friends had been caught in the same trap. As he fell the Sanacrid leapt from his shoulder and scurried into hiding. The bright pattern of his gleaming eyes filling with sorrow and terror. His lush tail swinging slowly back and forth like a cat showing its' anger. The Sanacrid did not move but watched and waited. Its' large pale eyes luminous and adding a strange glow to his hiding place.

* * *

Ensign Hoshi Sato's face paled. Captain Archer was rudely awoken from a couple of hours much needed sleep by an emergency alert. Throwing his uniform on as quickly as he could he flicked the wall com. "What the hell's happening Travis?"

Travis Mayweather had a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach. He glanced at Hoshi and swallowed hard. "You better get up here Captain, there's been one hell of an explosion down on the planet and Hoshi has lost all contact with the away team."

"On my way!"

He practically flew to the bridge, his anxiety heightened by what he saw when he got there. The screen showed the building fireball roll up from the ground far below. "Holy..." His voice trailed off. That was one huge explosion. He frowned slightly wondering if the shuttlepod would cause an explosion that big. He looked at Hoshi. "Try to raise Sub-Commander T'Pol again, ensign."

She nodded. "Yes, sir."

He waited, palms sweating, breathing irregular. A pain in his chest as he worried and fretted for his missing crew. All of them friends. He looked at Hoshi. She was shaking her head. He blinked. Stunned. He asked for exact details of where the explosion had come from. Was it the exact landing site of the shuttlepod? Calculations were racing inside his head, holding the grief at bay. He would exhaust every avenue available to him before he would even consider all hands had been lost.

* * *

Sub-Commander T'Pol awoke to find herself sitting with her back to a tree. Her hands were tied around the trunk and her weapon had been taken. She looked down at her chest but there was no sign of any injury. A stun weapon then. Crude but effective. She wondered where the others were. She could hear voices but could not turn her head far enough to see who was speaking. Then the voices faded away, echoing slightly as they did so. What did it mean? Was there a cave nearby? She closed her eyes a moment, trying to remember as much detail as possible when she felt something on her lap. Her eyes sprang open and she looked down, startled to see the little Sanacrid looking up at her. His pale eyes were almost opalescent, they looked somehow sad and determined at the same time. Then it ran up her torso and sat on her shoulder much as she had seen it do with Trip. Trip. Not Commander Tucker but Trip. She looked at the creature but said nothing, its' eyes seeming to look right into her soul. She felt her heart ache and hoped the others were okay. A mental image of Trip being tortured filled her mind. Then she remembered something. Dr Phlox had said the Sanacrid was telepathic. She looked at it and opened her mind.

Images faster and clearer filled her mind. She concentrated and stretched her senses. She was inside a cave. Trip, Malcolm and Dr Phlox were all in the cave. She noticed Lt Reed looked very pale. Was lying on the floor with his hands and feet tied barely conscious. Two large bipedal aliens were shaking the Commander, one raging at him in a language she did not recognise. They were brutal, hands ending in wicked claws that they sank into his shoulder as they shook him. He cried out, not understanding either their questions or their brutality. She could not see what had happened to Dr Phlox. For a moment she hoped he had managed to escape but that fantasy was proven false when a third captor stepped into view and threw the good doctor on the floor next to Lt Reed. There was blood all down the doctor's front and his eyes were closed. Shaken, T'Pol cried out with her mind. The little Sanacrid dared to touch her neck with his tail, the contact calming her. She opened her eyes and stared at it. _You understand my thoughts?_

_Yes_

_Why are you here?_

_They are going to kill everyone_

_Who are they?_

_The enemy_

_Do you know their name? Where they come from?_

_They are Ralcaddons. They live to conquer. They torture for pleasure. They rape to feed the wickedness of their souls_

Her eyes widened as her heart missed a beat. _Rape?_

_Male, female, it makes no difference. Only the level of pain they induce excites them_

_They must be stopped. I have to help my friends. Can you help me?_

_If I release you do not enter the cave_

T'Pol frowned. _If they are in the cave then that is where I must go_

The Sanacrid looked at her for a moment, his eyes incredibly sad. Then before she could say anything more the little creature darted down and disappeared. The Vulcan tugged at the rope but she was fastened too tightly. She could not break free on her own. Where had the creature gone? And why tell her what was happening to the others if it would not let her go to their aid? She closed her eyes, the images inside her head driving her crazy. Then she heard the screams. Her eyes snapped open, tears running down her face as she realised what they were doing.

* * *

He could not believe it. These creatures were beyond inhuman. He had been made to watch while they had tortured Malcolm. Stripping his clothes off him and playing with him while his friend had screamed and cried and tried to fight them off. They had laughed at his distress, mocked him when he cried as they prodded him with their sharp appendages. They seemed to like touching him, making him writhe and plead for mercy. Trip swore, spat at them, tried everything he could think of to deflect their attention off his friend so they would not rape him. He had no idea where T'Pol was. Had she escaped or had they already killed her? It hurt too much to trawl through the possibilities so he concentrated on what was happening around him. What he could see. Because he was so angry and vocal they left him until last. Feeding off his anger as they played first with Malcolm then the doctor.

He had never seen a Denobulan naked before. It was a strange sight but it was the look in Phlox's eyes that disturbed him the most. This gentle caring man of medicine being defiled by these disgusting creatures while the depths of his eyes told Trip that he knew exactly what they were doing to him and why. That bright awareness would not even give him the gift of ignorance to temper the desecration. But he would not cry out. His lips closed firm, his eyes taking on a faraway look as if going into trance. That was when they cut him. Cruel claws rending unresisting flesh. Still he would not cry out. Would not give them what they wanted. Trip cried for him and they laughed in his face. When the doctor passed out they threw him like a discarded rag. He fell inches from Lt Reed. For some insane reason it comforted Trip that his two friends were at least together. But his comfort was short lived and soon torn away from him.

They did not strip him like the others but impaled him on their curved angular claws, shaking him as he cried out in agony. Bathing themselves in a shower of blood as they shook him. He could not understand them. Not a single word. Much as he would have liked to understand what was going on, who these creatures were, he was infinitely glad that Hoshi was not with them to translate. But T'Pol. His heart bled. Ached with unbearable pain and sorrow. What had they done to T'Pol? Then they pinned him to the cave wall and woke Malcolm. The Englishman looked out of it, nothing penetrating until they dragged him over to the wall. He looked at Trip and his eyes came into focus, new tears filling the tracks of the old. Malcolm held out a shaky hand to touch him. Hardly able to see for the tears. "Oh God, why are they doing this to us, Trip?"

It was hard for him to speak but he knew Malcolm needed to hear his voice. Know that he was still alive and could hear him. That he was not alone. The time they had spent alone on Shuttlepod One when they thought they were going to die had taught him a great deal about the Englishman. Fear of dying alone had proved to be his greatest terror. "Mal... they're sick..."

Malcolm wept with relief and pain and sorrow. His friend was alive. One of the Ralcaddons pulled him away from Trip, seemed pleased to see how this distressed him. Held him while another twisted his claw in Trip's shoulder to make him scream. It was too much. "You bastards, let him go, let him go!" But he was impotent, powerless to do anything but watch and weep. When Trip passed out they started on Malcolm but by then he did not care. They were all going to die anyway. It was just a matter of how long it would take.

* * *

Captain Archer did the calculation a second then a third time. His sensitive face showed the tentative ray of hope. "It's not them."

Hoshi frowned at him. Wondering whether he was losing it.

"It's not them. The shuttlepod landed several miles to the east of that location. There's still a chance. I'm going to send another shuttlepod down to bring them back."

Just then Travis interrupted the Captain. "Captain, I'm picking up a ship on the sensors."

The fledgling hope flared into a bright fame. A ship! Help had arrived. He glanced at Hoshi, "Hail them, Hoshi."

She was about to do so when she frowned. "They are already hailing us, Captain."

He nodded, allowing himself a slight smile. "Put them through, on screen."

The inside of a foreign bridge filled the screen. A bipedal alien he had never seen before looked back at him, its' crude gutteral language slowly being converted into English as Hoshi's fingers flew over her translator. "You are not wanted here, go or you will be destroyed!"

The blood drained out of the Captain's face. This was _not_ the response he had hoped for. "You don't understand, my people are down there. I need help to rescue them."

"If they are down there they are already dead or worse. Leave now or do not leave at all!"

The screen went blank. Shocked faces stared at each other then the Captain's look hardened. "We are not going anywhere until we retrieve our people. I don't care how big the bully is."

"Captain?"

"Yes, Travis?"

"I've never seen any aliens like that before."

"Me neither Travis but you know what they say don't you?"

"What's that sir?"

"The bigger they are the harder they fall."

* * *

The day seemed never ending. T'Pol hardly noticed she was no longer alone until the Sanacrid touched her mind with his gentle thoughts. _I will untie you now_

_Where did you go? What happened?_

_The enemy has gone to the crash site to await extraction_

_How do you know this?_

_I watch, I wait, I learn_

She felt something graze her wrist lightly then the rope fell away and she was free. A faint trickle of blood ran down her left wrist where the Sanacrid's sharp claw had accidentally nicked her.

_Hurry, there is little time_

The Sub-Commander did not need to be told twice. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, the little Sanacrid amazingly fleet of foot. He darted into the cave and T'Pol followed without pause. She smelt the blood before she found her crew mates. Almost lost her balance on the thick pool of blood on the cave floor. Her throat gagged, the smell offensive and distressing to her. She ran over to Lt Reed, saw the cuts on his body where the Ralcaddons had taunted and played with him with their huge sharp claws. He was unconscious and naked. Next to him lay Dr Phlox, blood drenched his bare chest and ran down his legs. Tears ran silently down her face as she cast about for their clothes to cover them. She saw a bundle in a corner by the wall and ran over to it, her heart stopping completely when she realised it was not a bundle of clothes but a man. She touched him gently, her heart going out to him as she carefully laid him out. Unwinding his bloody twisted limbs, her hands sliding slick with blood, her tears washing his face.

"Trip! Oh Trip, what have they done to you?"

The Sanacrid tried to hurry her. _No time, no time_

She wanted to swipe it out of the way but could not bring herself to do so. If not for the Sanacrid she would still be tied to the tree waiting to be raped. If not for the Sanacrid even this faint chance of escape would be denied to them. So T'Pol nodded, thanked him, and ran back to Malcolm and the doctor. Her hands trembling as she dressed them in clothes now torn and tattered. It was the best she could do. She ran back to the Commander, knelt beside him and brushed a gentle hand through his hair. There was blood all over him but she detected a faint pulse. "Don't die, please don't die!"

The Sanacrid looked at her, knew they had so little time. Not long enough for her to drag or carry three men to safety. She needed help and he only knew of one way she could do it. _If_ the Vulcan was willing to try. _You must initiate a mind meld with him_

T'Pol paused and looked at the Sanacrid. _I can't_

_Then he will die_

_You don't understand_

_You have feelings for the human_

_He is my friend but he is not Vulcan_

_You have feelings for him_ He persisted.

T'Pol hung her head, looked at Trip's face and laid her bloodied hand against his cheek. His blood. Her hand. His life. Her soul.

_You love him_

_I hardly know him_

_How much greater the love will be when you do_

In that moment she made her decision. Quickly she adjusted her hand, the fingers splayed to touch the contact points, her mind opening to him, her thoughts touching his and sharing energy and love and the whisper of a thousand things he had never heard of before. He was in pain, even unconscious he suffered. Now they were connected she shared his pain, eased the trauma and spoke to him heart to heart. Felt his stunned response in joyous acclamation. So gentle, so loving, so ready to do anything for her. It moved her so deeply, this treasure she had found. _Trip, you have to wake up. We have to get out of here_

_T'Pol? You're alive?_

She drank in his joy as if she had never quenched her thirst before. _Yes, but we have to help get you out of here before they return. Before they can finish off Malcolm and Dr Phlox_

That roused him. The thought that others would die if he did nothing. He stirred slowly, she kept her link open, her strength pouring into him, her love sustaining him even though she refused to give it a name. After all. He was not Vulcan. She hardly knew him. But he was her friend. He staggered to his feet, hanging on to T'Pol for balance. His breathing was ragged. He looked terrible but his eyes shone gently when he looked at her. As quickly as he was able he went to Malcolm and tried to rouse him. It was hard going so he slapped him, silently begging for his friend to forgive him. Malcolm stirred, writhing to escape another blow. Trip shook him gently. "Malcolm, it's me Trip. We gotta get outta here. T'Pol's okay but Dr Phlox looks bad. I need you to help me or we're all gonna die here."

Malcolm wanted to hug Trip he was so relieved to see him, was sure he had been killed. He saw T'Pol and tried to smile in reassurance but he could not manage it. It reminded him of a saying: "The impossible we do right away, miracles take a little longer". Okay. One more miracle coming up.

The Sanacrid led them out of the cave and back on themselves into another cave system. T'Pol was worried that they would get lost, trapped or be caught before they could get away but Trip reassured her. He trusted the Sanacrid and she trusted Trip. The math was simple. They half carried, half dragged Dr Phlox. Before they entered the next cave system the Sanancrid insisted they wash him and bind his wounds as best as they could. Lt Reed frowned wearily. "Why? What's the point?"

T'Pol arched an eyebrow. "We do not want to leave a trail of blood in the caves."

He nodded, feeling stupid. "Sorry. Wasn't thinking."

Trip patted him carefully on the shoulder. None of them had a patch of skin that did not hurt except T'Pol. And for that Trip was infinitely grateful. They paused at a stream and washed Dr Phlox with care, tearing up their shirts to make bandages for him. It was very ad hoc but the best they could do. Then Trip washed himself and helped Malcolm do the same. T'Pol cast a critical eye over them then decided it was the best they could manage. Once in the cave system the Sanacrid took them on a convoluted winding path. Trip had intended to commit the route to memory but after a couple of hours just gave up. They stopped to rest, T'Pol checking the doctor over. He had not stirred or regained consciousness once. Lt Reed sat against the wall and leaned his head back. "We're all going to die." He mumbled then passed out.

T'Pol looked at Trip. He knelt next to her and examined Dr Phlox's wounds. He was bleeding again but for now the makeshift bandages were holding. His heartbeat seemed to be quite strong. "C'mon T'Pol, we should rest while we can and that includes you."

She helped him sit down, his back braced against a wall. She watched his weary face, saw the goodness that shone in him and found her breath catching in her throat. The Sanacrid sat next to Trip and watched. Trip smiled gently. "Thanks."

"What for?"

"Saving my life."

"It wasn't me, Commander, it was..."

"Trip. My name's Trip." He mumbled, fighting to stay conscious. For her.

Then she was sitting next to him, her hands in his. His eyes fastened on hers as if he could not bear to close them in case she vanished when he woke. T'Pol stroked a hand through his dirty blond hair. _I'm not going anywhere, Trip_

He looked surprised. _I can hear ya! I thought it was a dream_

That amused her. He smiled, raised a hand and touched her face gently, his fingertips skimming the surface of her cheek so tenderly. Outlining the planes of her proud face as she finally let down her walls and let him see the love hidden inside. He cried with the sweetness of his joy. His lips touched her softly, a gentle kiss, so loving, so tender. _You should sleep_ She echoed in his mind.

He deepened the kiss, unconsciously splaying his hand against the side of her face. The pads of his fingertips instinctively settling on the contact points. Both unaware that the Sanacrid had hopped gently up onto Trip's shoulder and was wrapping his plumed tail around the human's neck. As the kiss extended the Sanacrid deepened it, took the bond they were forming and enhanced it. Carrying them further, deeper and higher than they would have gone alone. They gasped in each others' mouths, hands now seeking flesh, bodies cupped together as their hearts mated in mental fusion. Electricity shot through him, burned through her. A thousand thoughts cascaded through his consciousness, images of her home, her life, her family, her long desert of emptiness. He was her river. Her ocean. Her oasis. He unleashed feelings trapped so deep inside her psyche that she could never have reached them alone. Would not have recognised her own passion if she had.

He was beautiful and to her virgin landscape time ceased to have any meaning or function. There was only him. He smiled and the curved bow of his pleasure rocked her to the core. She wanted him. Needed him. Would die without him. He knew. He understood. And more importantly. He loved.

The Sanacrid watched over them quietly, his symbiotic assistance giving them the strength to complete the path they so desperately needed to be on. T'Pol coaxed Trip on to his back and gently peeled off his clothes. Trying hard not to hurt him but unable to resist this overwhelming desire for him. He did not break off the kiss, nor seek to free himself from the meld. He let her do whatever she wanted, he already had everything he could possibly want or need in his two hands. Everything else was a bonus. Then her hands were on him, stroking him gently but firmly. Rousing him until he was ready to weep for her. _C'mon woman, what's the matter with ya? Wanna see me beg?_

Her laughter rang in his mind like a bell, surprising and startling him with its' beautiful crystal clarity. As he ached with the joy of it she raised her hips and slowly impaled herself on him, his shudder increasing her excitement and need for him as she rocked him deeper and deeper inside her. The heat of her welcoming core sending shudders up his spine as her interior muscles gripped and caressed him. On and on the waves of emotion sailed the tides of their passion. He came with a great rush, body groaning with effort and need, heart expanding to encompass all that she was and all that she could be. His largesse brought tears to her eyes, his gentle lips kissed them dry. She never, ever wanted to be further than this from him. He was human. Not Vulcan. As she spasmed around him again and again she celebrated the difference. Human. Not Vulcan. Thank the Gods. Human. Not Vulcan. _Mine_

* * *

It was huge. Never had he seen such a massive ship before. A city in space would take up less room. This thing did not only block out the stars it eclipsed entire planets. Travis's eyes were as round as dinner plates. Captain Archer knew that look was on every face as they stared in horror at the aliens denying them access to the planet below.

"I see it sir, but I don't believe my eyes!"

Archer nodded. Numb. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure that to be a thousand miles from that thing but I am _not_ gonna leave our people trapped down there."

No one spoke. They did not have to. How could you even begin to think of fighting something on such a hideous scale? He tried to think of David and Goliath but somehow that did not even come close to reassuring his quailing heart.

"Sir?"

He tore his eyes away from the screen to glance at Hoshi. "Yes, Hoshi?"

"They're hailing us again, sir."

Captain Archer bit back a groan. This was it. The end of life as they knew it. "Put them through."

The same alien visage stared back at him. Impossibly ugly, the sharp angles of its' features considered the human Captain for a moment before speaking. Oddly curious that such a paltry thing as the Enterprise could even dare to defy it. "You did not leave."

"No. I guess I didn't."

"You are either very foolish or very brave. Either way you will soon be very dead."

"I thought you were gonna kill us last time we spoke?"

He heard sharp intakes of breath all around the bridge but ignored them. To his surprise the alien threw back its' head and made a loud choking sound. It took him a few minutes to realise it was laughing. "You stand your ground, puny though you are." It paused, eyes glittering. "What species are you?"

"Tell me who you are and I'll tell you."

Silence. The Captain wondered if he had pushed it too far then the huge angular head inclined towards him a fraction. "Very well. We are Ralcaddons. What are you and from where do you come?"

"We are Humans. My name is Captain Archer and we come from a planet called Earth."

"You said you have crew on this planet?"

"Yes, we do."

"How many are lost?"

"Four."

The alien took a moment to digest the information. Captain Archer was not sure he wanted to go so far as to say it was thinking. "So few to risk so much for, Captain."

"Why are you here?" He dared.

The alien made a rough racking noise. "We have crew on the surface too."

Something in Archer's head clicked. "Did they by any chance crash land?"

Suspicion flickered like a dangerous flame in the alien's eyes. It said nothing.

"I only ask because we came here in response to a distress call we picked up. When we got here we could not hear the signal any more so I sent a small team down to the surface to try to render what help we could. We lost contact with our people. Then there was a massive explosion on the planet surface, not far from where the distress beacon made its' call. I assume that was your people."

"I am surprised you picked up their distress call. Our technology is vastly superior to yours."

"We were just trying to help."

"Why? You do not know my people and I do not know yours."

"What's wrong with trying to do something about that?"

"Do you know why we use this planet?"

The Captain shook his head, not sure where the conversation was leading but glad to be talking rather than fighting a battle they could never win.

"This is our training ground."

"Training ground?"

The Ralcaddon nodded. "Yes. We fight, we train, we catch outsiders and kill them. We practice our techniques of warfare then we leave."

Captain Archer frowned. "What do you mean your techniques of warfare?"

"Methods to make our enemies talk."

"Torture? You mean you torture people?"

"It is a most effective tool of war."

"My people are not at war with your people."

"That is immaterial. You have come to our training grounds. Do not expect us to educate your ignorance, Captain."

* * *

Sub-Commander T'Pol woke to find herself sprawled across Commander Tucker's chest. He lay half naked beneath her, fast asleep. Her first instinct was to jump to her feet but she forbore. Her eyes gently grazed the sleeping face. Her beloved. This human who had somehow worked his way into her heart. How had that happened? Had she done something to encourage it? Had he? Thinking back she could not find a single defining moment that could explain why she had been so irresistably drawn to him. This smelly, talkative human. This man with such clever sensitive hands. Such a quick but gentle mind. So giving, so caring. A smile teased her lips. A rare thing. A gift he had inadvertently given her. She brushed her hand gently over his face, leaned in to inhale his scent and softly kissed his lips.

T'Pol drew back to watch him sleep, her eyes gentle. Her thoughts thousands of miles away. Thinking of how her parents would react if they could see her now. How outraged Koss would be to find that she had mated with a human. It was almost too delicious to anticipate his reaction. With an effort she reigned in her amusement and made herself be more serious. They had to get out of here. Had to get back to their shuttlepod and contact the Captain on Enterprise. Yet she hesitated. Was reluctant to give up what she had found so unexpectedly. She glanced behind her. Both Lt Reed and Dr Phlox were still sleeping. It would be wrong to disturb them now when they needed their rest so badly. A tiny smile crept on her lips. She laid back down beside Trip, a hand on his chest, her eyes on his face as she drew patterns with her fingers and rubbed the pads back and forth across his nipples. She remembered their mental joining and reached out to tentatively brush his sleeping mind. His thoughts were sluggish, almost as if he had been drugged. She knew he was tired. Weary beyond belief. Yet gradually he became aware of her. His feelings lit her up inside with joy, her body beginning to heat as his thoughts caressed her own. Never had she known such closeness, such tenderness and love.

_T'Pol, are you alright darlin'?_

_I am now_

_Now?_

Her mind smiled and hugged his. _Now that I am with you_

_Is it always like this?_

_What?_

_This closeness? Is it because we're mentally joined?_

He felt her laughter tickle through his consciousness. He loved her so much. _The mind meld bonds mates together. Increases their physical joining as well. Wherever I go or you go, we will always be able to touch and sense each other with our minds_

_Wow, I like the sound of that T'Pol_

She smiled and stirred in his consciousenss, her thoughts lapping his, her desires filtering through his sleeping body until he began to groan softly with arousal. Her hands caressing him, skimming over his chest and stomach, stroking downwards and cupping him as he responded to her fevered touch. His penis inflating in her busy hand. Hardening as her caress became more demanding. _How close do you want to be, beloved?_

He could feel the pumping blood thundering like a call to action in his ears. A sleepy eye cracked open to be joined a second later by a pie eating grin. _Why don't I just cut out the middle man and show ya, darlin'?"_

* * *

Hoshi would never have believed it if she had not seen it with her own two eyes. The alien with the ship bigger than most cities was politely giving the Captain permission to go down and retrieve his crew. Not only that but he had offered to send some of his own people to help. Archer had been about to decline that last offer then remembered the Ralcaddons had some of their own people on the planet below. People who randomly killed outsiders. Outsiders like humans and Vulcans. He quickly amended what he had been going to say.

"I would be honoured to accept your help. May I know your name?"

The alien eyes flashed hard as obsidian. "I am called Kalcon. I am Co-Commandant of this vessel."

"Co-Commandant?"

"Our vessels are self-aware, Captain. Not sheets of metal that have no pulse."

He was so astounded that his mouth fell open. Before he could shut it again and engage his brain the Co-Commandant had severed the communication link between them. When he finally got his brain back into gear he got to his feet and looked at Hoshi. "Hoshi, I want you to come with me." She looked nervous. "Captain, I think I would be better here in case the alien vessel wishes to make contact again and..."

"Hoshi, they scare the hell out of me too but that's not gonna get T'Pol, Trip, Malcolm and Dr Phlox back. I need someone with me to translate what Kalcon's people say to us. Also, if we bump into any of his other people we need to make sure they don't rape or disembowel us before we can say, 'Hi we're friends'. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Captain."

"Okay. I know you downloaded their language into the ship's translator so if Kalcon decides to call Travis will know what he's saying. Won't you Travis?"

Travis nodded warily. "Yes, sir."

"Good man. I'm counting on you." He gave Hoshi a nod and waited for her to walk passed him. As he prepared to exit the bridge he looked back at Travis Mayweather. "Travis, you have the bridge."

* * *

Lt Malcolm Reed woke slowly. His whole body ached and if he moved shooting pains shot up his spine. He remembered what had happened and could not prevent a low moan escaping his parched lips. He tried to turn his head but it hurt too much. He closed his eyes and just lay there, thinking. Trying not to focus on impossible images and angular claws dragging down his chest and back just to hear him scream. He squeezed his eyes as tightly closed as he could but could not block the images from his mind. Then he heard something. Not a loud sound but something fairly close by. He held his breath and stretched his ears. What was that? Was something creeping up on them even now, getting ready to rip them apart as they slept?

Panic and paranoid were the two ugly sisters of his existence. Pandering to them might not be wise but it was better than trying to ignore them. Between the two of them they had kept him alive this long. He opened his eyes cautiously. Heard again the shifting sound of bodies in motion. Turned his head, ignoring how much it hurt and sent pain down his spine. What he saw robbed him of all breath. Commander Tucker was lying a few yards away. Semi-naked from what he could see. Straddled across his hips was Sub-Commander T'Pol with a very un-Vulcan look on her face. And what she was doing with her hands to the Commander had to be seen to be believed. He watched. Stunned. Saw the shameless familiarity with which she touched him. The tender look in her eyes, the shade of a smile lighting the planes of her face with an emotion he had never expected to see on her face as he lived and breathed. Love. Holy Christ on a Hockey Stick. T'Pol was in love with Trip Tucker! He could not move. He was stunned. Silently he watched them make love. Not that he had intended on being a voyeur or anything but having forced himself to turn his head to see them he found it too painful to try to straighten the top vertebrae and look away again. At least that was his excuse. He did not have to ask Trip what his was. His excuse had just gone down on him in a manouevre that made him believe Vulcans were definitely double jointed. He let the sigh out with great care one thought uppermost in his mind. Bloody lucky sod.

* * *

The trip down to the surface was not as bad as the Captain feared. The turbulence that had hit Shuttlepod 1 was absent this time. Crewman Harrow landed Shuttlepod 2 as near as he could to the original landing party's destination. Hoshi Sato bit her lip and tried to hide the fact that her stomach was churning over and over with apprehension. As they donned their cold weather gear and exited the shuttlepod, the Ralcaddons landed neatly less than a hundred yards away from them. It was a bigger, bulkier, beefier transport than theirs but then the Ralcaddons were much bigger and more muscled than humans and the compliment of eight was double the manpower Captain Archer brought with him. He hoped and prayed that Co-Commandant Kalcon stayed true to his word.

He waited for the Ralcaddons to join them then explained through Hoshi what he intended to do. The aliens did not waste breath on words but just nodded. Captain Archer had just begun to orientate himself so they would know which direction to set off in when the Ralcaddons suddenly stopped. He turned and gave them a quizzical look. "Hoshi?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Ask our hosts why they are stopping."

Hoshi activated the translator and had just begun to ask when three Ralcaddons came into view from the opposite direction. Captain Archer signalled her to stop and just watched. He noticed they were bloody. They paused when they saw the Captain and his crew, one of them talking urgently in gutteral undertones to the rescue crew. Looks were exchanged between the two parties then a brief fight ensued. Alarmed, the Captain took a step back and wondered what it meant but he did not have time to ask Hoshi before the scuffle ended and their host walked over to them, a grim look distorting already ugly features. Hoshi translated his words. "I regret, Captain, that our men have already met with your landing party."

An arrow of apprehension pierced his heart. "What does that mean?"

"It means that your people have been injured. This is a training planet, Captain. No one comes here unless they have been placed here for this reason."

"Where are they? Are they still alive?"

Time seemed to stop while he waited with aching heart for the answer. He was grateful he had thought to bring along another set of medical supplies just in case but his forethought had been in case the shuttlepod had crashed. Not in his worst nightmares had he thought something like this might have happened.

"Yes. The men have some damage but the female is unharmed."

"Where are they?"

"We will show you but first the party concerned must be sent back to the mothership. The Co-Commandant will want to deal with them personally."

Captain Archer did not like the way he said that but got some satisfaction from the thought that they would have to face some kind of censure for their actions. Grim faced he followed the Ralcaddons. Hoshi dropped into step behind him, Crewmen Harrow and Reeves following behind with the first aid kit and emergency rations.

* * *

Lt Reed dropped off to sleep again before Trip and T'Pol finished their love making. As T'Pol at last lay sated across her lover's chest she felt the Commander shift slightly beneath her. She raised her head and stole a kiss. How do you feel? __

__Apart from permanently shattered? __

_She nodded, not in the least bit sorry for wearing him out._

__Happy _He ran his hands up her sides as she sat up. A sigh escaped his lips as he carefully sat up to face her, his expression darkening slightly at the pain._ I love you, T'Pol, do you know that? __

_She laughed in his heart and mind then leant forward and kissed him. He broke away reluctantly._

__We have to get dressed, darlin'. The Captain'll be goin' frantic lookin' for us and I'm worried about Phlox. He doesen't look so good __

_The Sub-Commander nodded, touched his face gently then got to her feet. She helped him up and watched him closely as he closed his eyes for a minute until the world stopped spinning. He opened his eyes and smiled at her. "I'm okay, T'Pol. Take more than the Incredible Hulk and his buddies to kill me."_

_They helped each other dress then went to check on the others. Malcolm began to stir as Trip checked his wounds. The Englishman's eyes widened when he saw who was looking after him. "I'm surprised you can stand after what you've been doing, Commander."_

_Trip frowned, not understanding what he was getting at. "What're you talkin' about, Malcolm?"_

_"You know. You and T'Pol."_

_Trip's mouth dropped open in surprise. Before Lt Reed could enjoy the look on his face, Sub-Commander T'Pol entered his line of vision and he closed his eyes and wished the ground would open up and swallow him whole. "Oh shit!"_

_Commander Tucker chuckled. T'Pol looked at Lt Reed with interest. "You were saying, Lieutenant Reed?"_

_He opened his eyes, a sheepish look on his face. "Permission to draw my weapon and shoot myself in the head, sir?"_

_Trip laughed. "Permission denied. With your current track record you're likely shoot yourself in the foot and you need it to put in your mouth."_

_"Ha, ha, very funny. Just don't give up the day jobâ€”sir."_

_"Think ya can walk?"_

_Lt Reed nodded cautiously. "Just help me to my feet, I should be alright after that. It'll be a few more weeks until I can run the marathon though."_

_Trip helped him up then gave him some water. Leaving him leaning against the wall he moved on to check on Dr Phlox. T'Pol was already looking at him critically, a worried look on her face. "He still has not regained consciousness. We have to get him back to Enterprise as soon as possible."_

_The Commander nodded. Just then Trip's little friend the Sanacrid scampered across the floor and ran up his leg, not stopping until it reached his shoulder. He turned his head carefully to look at him as the little creature wrapped his tail plume gently around his neck. "What's put the wind up your tail?"_

__Someone is coming __

_A look of alarm flitted across the Commander's face. "Who? Who's comin'?"_

__Some like you, some others. Enemies*

His heart skipped a beat, he looked at T'Pol and Malcolm. "Looks like we got company. Stay with Phlox Malcolm, me and T'pol'll go and take a look-see."

The Sanacrid began to bob its' head in agitation, chittering anxiously. Lt Reed frowned at it. "What's the matter with it?"

"Him not it, Malcolm." Trip was about to ask the little creature what was up when he heard a voice call out. Everybody froze. The Sanacrid dipped its' head and scurried under his shirt to hide. After a moment a big smile slid across the Commander's face. Relief self evident. "It's the Cap'n!"

He smiled at Malcolm and T'Pol then raised his voice to shout. "In here, Cap'n!"

Then he and Malcolm carefully lifted Dr Phlox between them and started to carry him out, Sub-Commander T'Pol walking in front to make sure there were no nasty surprises waiting for them. As they got to the entrance they were relieved to be met by Captain Archer, Hoshi and crewmen Harrow and Reeves. It was only when Trip and Malcolm had laid Dr Phlox gently on the ground and straightened up that they suddenly realised why the Sanacrid had been so upset and agitated. All the colour drained out of their faces. Alarmed, Captain Archer turned to see what they were looking at and realisation dawned. "Um Trip, the Ralcaddons came down to help us find you. It appears this is a training planet for their soldiers. They usually kill any outsiders they find down here. You're lucky we got here before they could complete the exercise."

The Commander could not speak. He was too upset, his hands shaking. Lt Reed had gone completely white and looked ready to collapse. The Captain walked over to their hosts and drew them to one side, asking Hoshi to translate for them. "Please thank Co-Commandant Kalcon for his assistance in the recovery of my crew. Be kind enough to assure him we will not come again unannounced to his training planet."

The alien eyed him for a moment then gave him a polite bow and left. Only when the Ralcaddons had gone did the others begin to relax. Captain Archer decided to ask no more questions until he had got them safely back aboard the Enterprise. He was full of curiosity and questions but looking at his away team he could tell they had already been to hell and back. The debriefing could wait. Back at the Enterprise Ensign Cutler was hovering anxiously over Dr Phlox. Worry etched into her face and movements. Captain Archer watched Trip's face as he stood watching Ensign Cutler clean the doctor up.

"When are you going to tell me what happened, Trip?"

The Commander sighed softly. "It was awful, Cap'n. Bad enough to hit turbulence and have to land in less than ideal conditions we then had to make our way through snow and blizzard conditions. Then we got attacked by those alien gorillas." He sighed. "I have ta tell ya, I didn't think we were gonna make it off that ball of rock."

"I'm glad you did but you know, you should be in sick bay yourself."

"Nah, just give me a few days to sleep it off an' I'll heal."

"In body maybe..."

Trip looked at him, a gentle calm in his eyes that Captain Archer had not seen there before. "I'll be fine, Cap'n. Trust me."

"I do trust you but..." He broke off suddenly and jumped back.

"What's the matter?"

"I saw something move, under your shirt."

The Commander laughed and pulled the top of his shirt out so he could whisper. "Hey, c'mon out. You're makin' the Cap'n nervous."

To Captain Archer's astonishment a furry nose peeked out then a little creature similar to a chipmunk scrambled up onto his Commander's right shoulder and wrapped its' very fluffy tail gently around his neck. He stared, dumbstruck. Completely lost for words. Trip chuckled and spoke to the little creature. "Seems ya made quite an entrance. Isn't ev'ry day you get to shut up a Cap'n."

"Hey, I take exception to that!" Archer blinked. "What is it?"

Trip sighed. "He's a Sanacrid..."

Just as he said that another voice completed the sentence for him. "...they are very rare Captain. It is even rarer for one to take to someone who is not of their own species. Commander Tucker seems to have found a friend."

They turned and looked in amazement to see Dr Phlox sitting up in bed. Ensign Cutler beaming from ear to ear while trying to get him to lie down again so she could finish her tests. They walked over to him. Captain Archer looked at him carefully. "How do you feel, doctor?"

"I do believe that is usually my line, Captain."

Captain Archer laughed. Trip stroked the little Sanacrid gently, telepathically asking him what he wanted. Did he want to be dropped off here or go with them? After a few seconds of quiet communion while the Captain and doctor chatted about what had happened down on the planet, Trip put his hand out and both men stopped talking to watch as the Sanacrid hopped on to his hand. Trip smiled at Dr Phlox. "I've discussed it with our mutual friend and he has decided he would like to spend some time with you. At least until we come to a planet that is a little more hospitable to his kind."

Dr Phlox beamed from ear to ear. They had never seen him so happy. For a minute Commander Tucker was afraid he was going to cry. There were definitely tears in the good doctor's eyes. "Are you sure you don't mind, Commander?"

"No, I don't mind." Said Trip gently. "Just look after him and I promise to pop in and see him from time to time."

Captain Archer gave him a strange look as they walked out of the sick bay. He had been hearing some odd things from Lt Reed. Just hints but enough to make him wonder what else had gone on while they had been away. "Is there anything you want to tell me, Trip?"

At that very moment Trip stopped dead in his tracks but he was not looking at the Captain. The Captain looked to see why. Sub-Commander T'Pol was walking briskly towards them. He started to smile and opened his mouth to say something when she walked straight passed him and slid her arms around Trip's neck and kissed him. He stared in stunned silence as the kiss did not break off but deepened. He cleared his throat carefully but the couple did not break apart. Suddenly he felt rather hot under the collar. "I'll um, expect you both for a full debriefing first thing tomorrow morning."

Neither of them said a word. Captain Archer shook his head and walked away. If he had not seen it with his own eyes he would not have believed it. He found himself counting the hours until tomorrow. That was going to be one hell of a debriefing...


End file.
